Shred-it event a chance to dispose of documents

Blue Ridge CareNet Counseling will be offering a free document shredding service for the community on Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon, where individuals can shred confidential papers and other documents.

“Identity theft is one of the most difficult ordeals anyone will ever go through,” the organization said in announcing the event. “When accounts have been compromised, it can take months – and cost a lot of money – to straighten everything out. Unfortunately, these sorts of crimes are on the rise.

“One of the simplest, safest, most effective ways to eliminate the threat of identity theft is to shred confidential papers before disposing of them.”

Thus, the group will be offering the shred-it event on Saturday, at the corner of West Lebanon and North Main Streets, beside of Homeway Furniture. There is no set fee for the service. Instead, Blue Ridge CareNet Counseling will be accepting donations.

“This is so important for everyone to have access to,” says Sally Estes, chair of Blue Ridge CareNet’s board of directors. “Not everyone can afford to buy a personal shredder. Or they may plan to, but haven’t gotten around to it. This is an easy solution. Just load it up and bring it by.” she said.

Estes notes that this is a “fully secure method,” since the documents are shredded on site, not transported to another location for shredding.

Blue Ridge CareNet Counseling has sponsored similar events. A community resource for achieving and maintaining strong mental health, it may seem like a strange event for a counseling center to sponsor.

Estes points out that there is a connection, though: “We’re all always trying to get more organized and make more space, and this is a great way to do that. Clean out files, clean off your desks, go through those stacks – then load it up and bring it over. Think of the load that would be off your mind.”